Introduction
The NSW Seniors Energy Rebate helps eligible self-funded retirees pay their electricity bills.
The Seniors Energy Rebate is $200 per household, per financial year and customers can apply for the rebate each financial year.
You will also receive a one-off National Energy Bill Relief Household Payment as a lump sum of up to $500 in financial year 2023-24 if:
- you meet the eligibility criteria
- your application for the NSW Seniors Energy Rebate is successful
- your household has not already received the National Energy Bill Relief Household Payment.
Pensioners and veterans may be eligible for the Low Income Household Rebate for on supply customers or retail customers.
Eligibility
To be eligible you must:
- hold a current Commonwealth Seniors Health Card issued by either
- be the account holder named on the electricity bill
- be a self-funded retiree living in NSW
- be applying for the rebate for your main place of residence.
What you need
- a MyServiceNSW Account
- you can create one when you start your application
- to create an account, you'll need details from 2 identity documents (such as Australian driver licence, Medicare card, passport)
- your current Commonwealth Seniors Health Card
- your Customer Reference Number (CRN) or Department of Veterans' Affairs file number
- your most recent electricity bill issued on or after 1 July in the current financial year
- your contact details
- your bank account details (to receive your rebate)
- if applying online, digital copies of your documents or a phone/tablet camera or scanner to copy and upload the documents required.
How to apply
- Check you meet the eligibility requirements.
- Gather the required documents and have them ready for uploading as a JPEG, JPG, PDF, PNG or TIF file.
- Select the 'Apply online' button.
- Log in, or create your MyServiceNSW Account.
- Follow the prompts to apply for the rebate.
If you're not able to apply online
- Check you meet the eligibility requirements.
- Gather the required documents.
- If you're applying on behalf of an eligible person, download, print and complete the Letter of Authority – PDF.
- Visit a Service NSW Centre to complete your application.
What happens next
You'll receive payment into your nominated bank account:
- within 5 working days of approval of your application
- in up to 6 weeks if your application is incomplete or needs further assessment.
Note: Service NSW processes your application and payment, not your electricity supplier. We'll contact you if there are any problems.
Uploading files
To prepare your documents for uploading when you apply:
- your documents must be saved as JPEG, JPG, PDF, PNG or TIF files
- each document must be less than 6MB in size
- the documents must be clear and easy to read
- document file names can include letters and numbers, but not special characters. Examples of file names that follow these rules are: 2023electricitybill.jpeg, electricity-bill-wilson.jpg, electricity_bill_2023.tif, or davis electricity bill.pdf.
Troubleshooting
If you have used an Apple device to photograph your document and it has saved the file in HEIC format, email the photo to yourself and open it on a laptop or tablet and save it as a JPEG, JPG, PDF, PNG or TIF file.
If you are unable to photograph or scan and save your document for uploading you can:
- contact your energy retailer and ask them to email a PDF version of the electricity bill to you
- visit a Service NSW Centre and use a self-serve kiosk to scan the bill
- visit a print shop or a local library that can scan documents for a fee.
More information
- A household can only receive one of each payment per household, even if more than one eligible retiree lives at the same address:
- one Seniors Energy Rebate each financial year
- one National Energy Bill Relief Household Payment for financial year 2023-24.
- The rebate does not apply to gas accounts.
- The following names must match:
- the name on the application
- the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card holder's name
- the electricity account holder's name.
- The following addresses must match:
- the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card holder's main residential address
- the address where the electricity is being supplied.